ON ENERGY CONVERSION CALCULATIONS

Abstract

It is shown that calculations of the energy conversion from available potential energy to kinetic energy based on vertical velocities obtained by the so-called adiabatic method may lead to erroneous results. An analysis of the method shows that it measures the difference between the energy conversion from available potential energy to kinetic energy, and the generation of available potential by diabatic heating. This result holds for both zonal and eddy avai1able potential energy. The main conclusion is tested using numerical results from several energy conversion and energy generation studies. The adiabatic method is compared with other methods to estimate vertical velocities.